Domaine de la Romanée Conti Montrachet Grand Cru

2005

Burghound 98: Not much time has passed between my last tasting of this wine that appeared in Issue 31 and this most recent bottle so my note is essentially unchanged: An opulent, ripe and moderately oaked in-your-face nose explodes from the glass, bringing incredibly complex and layered aromas that run from floral, citrus, spice and a full range of white and yellow fruit notes that complement to perfection the lush, rich and amazingly concentrated broad-scaled flavors that are underpinned by an intense minerality and a palate staining finish of simply unbelievable length. At this young stage, this is a massive Montrachet that is long on power and muscle and while it's not as elegant as say the 2000, 2002 or 2004 versions, I believe that the refinement one typically finds in this wine will come in time. In sum, for sheer vinous fireworks, this is hard to beat and to call it a "wow" wine would be a considerable understatement. However, note that plenty of time will be required and it will be one of the longest-lived vintages in recent memory. A great, great effort. Note however that I have recently had three bottles (twice in November 2016 and again in April 2018) that did evidence slight notes of premature oxidation; they were drinkable but not what they should have been.

2014

Burghound 96: A whiff of the exotic can be found on the notably ripe and beautifully layered nose that reflects notes of honey, citrus, spice, oak and a touch of matchstick character. There is superb size, weight and minerality to the impressevely scaled big-bodied flavours that are so dense that are distinctly lavish and lush mouthfeel to them, all wrapped in an explosive and almost painfully intense finish that really fans out as it sits on the palate.

Vinous 98: Bright yellow-straw. Knockout soil-driven aromas and flavors of crushed rock, menthol, mint, ginger, white flowers, hazelnut and iodiney minerality, with a hint of fresh pear emerging with time in the glass: it would be easier to list what I didn't find in this wine! As tactile as a solid but with extraordinary mineral energy--and a bit of unabsorbed CO2--giving the middle palate astounding lift and a light touch. In a very pure, airy style but with great richness and some very ripe suggestions of marzipan and candied stone fruits. Finishes with outstanding gingery thrust and rising length, and the tannic structure of a red wine. A legend in the making.

2015

Burghound 95: The exotic, even tropical nose reflects notes of petrol and wood along with lychee nut, melon, white peach, mango, floral and discreet citrus wisps. The broad-shouldered and impressively dense, bold and muscular flavors coat the palate with seemingly buckets of dry extract that easily buffers the very firm acid spine shaping the surprisingly dry finish (in the context of what is typical for the 2015 vintage) on the hugely long finish where the only nit is a hint of warmth. This is excellent and very much in the DRC style.

Wine Advocate 96: The 2015 Montrachet Grand Cru is still predictably youthful, unfurling in the glass with aromas of crisp Anjou pear, buttered citrus, tangerine oil and a prominent framing of very classy new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, multidimensional and concentrated, both satiny and textural without being remotely unctuous, and underpinned by succulent, even tangy acids. At this stage, where the wine really shows its pedigree is in its extraordinarily long, oak-inflected finish. Given the vintage, one might have expected more ripeness and drama, but the domaine is picking its Montrachet a bit earlier these days, and that has done it no harm at all in 2015. It would be interesting to taste this wine alongside Ramonet's example, which is both more textural and less overtly oaky, but my sense is that the two are on the same qualitative level in their very different styles.

Vinous 97: The 2015 Montrachet Grand Cru is exquisite. Bright and beautifully focused, the 2015 is immediately captivating. It is also very young, with just the first signs of early maturity coming through in the aromas and flavors. Lemon peel, white flowers, almonds and crushed rocks all grace the palate. For a wine that is nearly ten years old, the 2015 Montrachet is in fine, fine shape. This is a great bottle.